"Who cares! Do it scared."
Says a dear friend last night, and that's where I stand. This afternoon I booked my ticket back to New Zealand. I will leave Minnesota next Monday evening and head to Colorado for 3 days, then off to Christchurch.
But let's back up a few days. This weekend we celebrated Mom's 50th birthday at dinner with family. Mom's not actually 50 until February 9th but I'll be in New Zealand by than and Abbi will also be out of state. After dinner Sis and Dan went out with friends so the Auntie's got Faith for the night. My niece Faith is the polar opposite from my Izze girl. While Izze is famous for her quiet, polite, reserved, cuddly personality. My Faith is WILD. She's not yet nine months old but she is our wild child. She's been crawling for months, pulls herself up on everything and attempts to walk, she's loud, she's fast, she loves being rough and wrestling and does not, DOES NOT like to cuddle. Until I found out....very late at night. My little spark plug finally settled down and cuddled up around eleven and spent a few hours sleeping on my chest. Such a special moment, made incredibly precious by the knowledge that this is most likely one of the only time I will have a moment like this with her.
The next day my Mom had planned a going away party for me. About an hour before people were set to arrive the snow started pounding so we didn't get a huge turn out but plenty of people thought it was a fitting farewell, that my home town would be buried under a four inch blanket of the white stuff. Shortly before the party started I had an incredibly encouraging conversation with a supporter from Colorado who has some awesome inside information into what my life will look like in the next year. His obedience in supporting me as a missionary and becoming a powerful member of the team that has my back will be a pillar for me in the next year. There was a huge outpouring of support both emotional, spiritual and financial. So THANK YOU! Thank you so much for coming, for praying, for giving. I watched today as my Mom bit back tears explaining some of the miracles that she got to witness this weekend. She was blown away by the amount of support I have and continues to pour out. It was huge for me to be able to hear my Mom talk about the confirmation God placed in her heart this weekend, that I am indeed where I'm supposed to be going, that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, that she's confidant sending her baby "off to war" because of the love and support she witnessed poured out to me. So again, thank you so much for each and every piece of support and love that is continuing to pour out.
So next Monday I will be on my way. Tonight my Mom, sister, niece and I went shopping for girly bath bombs and lotions, got a fancy Mexican dinner and dessert at the bread store. The next week will include much of the same. Spending my last precious days making memories with my baby girls and praying, chatting and saying goodbye to dear family and friends.
I'm excited to head back, but this week will be bittersweet. I am so excited for God's plan for the next year of my life, excited to see where our relationship goes, excited for experiencing new facets of His heart and His face. I'm excited to be back in a country I love so much. Be back in my quiet little country zone, meeting new people, making new memories. But obviously I'm heavy hearted to leave my family and my friends, being in the same time zone, my normal surroundings.
So my prayer requests this week are for peace and protection as I begin to pack and travel back towards New Zealand. Peace and time to make awesome memories with my family and friends as I prepare to leave. Continued financial blessing and support from those that have joined up in this journey. That I would continue to find peace and confirmation and confidence as I boldly walk forward in what I believe is God's plan for me.
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